Berkeley County, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Berkeley County is a county located in the Eastern Panhandle
region of the U.S. state
of West Virginia
. As of 2010, the population is 104,169, making it the second-most populous county in West Virginia, behind Kanawha
. Its county seat
is Martinsburg
.
The county lies adjacent to the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area
and is one of three counties in Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area
. Due to its proximity to Washington, D.C.
, Berkeley County is the fastest growing county in the State of West Virginia and among the fastest growing in the entire country.
in February 1772 from the northern third of Frederick County
(Virginia
). At the time of the county's formation it also consisted of the areas that make up the present-day Jefferson
and Morgan
counties. Most historians believe that the county was named for Norborne Berkeley, Baron de Botetourt (1718–1770), Colonial Governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770. West Virginia's Blue Book, for example, indicates that Berkeley County was named in his honor. He served as a colonel in England's North Gloucestershire militia in 1761, and represented that division of the county in parliament until he was made a peer in 1764. He claimed the title of Baron Botetourt
as the lineal descendant of Maurice de Berkeley(d.1361) and his wife Catherine de Botetourt, sister & co-heir of John Botetourt, son and heir of Sir John de Botetourt(d.1324), baron by writ 1309-15. Maurice(d.1361) was the son and heir of Maurice de Berkeley(d.1347 at the Siege of Calais), who had acquired the manor of Stoke Gifford
, Gloucestershire, in 1337, the second son of Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley
(1271-1326). Having incurred heavy gambling debts, he solicited a government appointment, and in July 1768, was made governor of Virginia
. In 1769, he reluctantly dissolved the Virginia General Assembly
after it adopted resolutions opposing parliament's replacement of requisitions with parliamentary taxes as a means of generating revenue and a requirement that the colonists send accused criminals to England for trial. Despite his differences with the General Assembly, Norborne Berkeley was well respected by the colonists, especially after he sent parliament letters encouraging it to repeal the taxes. When parliament refused to rescind the taxes, Governor Berkeley requested to be recalled. In appreciation of his efforts on their behalf, the colonists erected a monument to his memory which currently stands in Williamsburg
, and two counties were later named in his honor, Berkeley in present-day West Virginia and Botetourt
in Virginia.
Other historians claim that Berkeley County may have been named in honor of Sir William Berkeley (1610–1677), who was born near London
, graduated from Oxford University in 1629, and was appointed Governor of Virginia in 1642. He served as Governor until 1652 and was later reappointed Governor in 1660. He continued to serve as Virginia's Governor until 1677 when he was called back to England. He died later that same year, on July 9, 1677.
, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida
, and Seneca tribes) drove the Hurons from the state. The Iroquois Confederacy was headquartered in New York
and was not interested in occupying present-day West Virginia. Instead, they used it as a hunting ground during the spring and summer months.
During the early 18th century, West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle region was inhabited by the Tuscarora
. They eventually migrated northward into New York and, in 1712, became the sixth nation to be formally admitted into the Iroquois Confederacy. The Eastern Panhandle region was also used as a hunting ground by several other Indian tribes, including the Shawnee
(then known as the Shawanese) who resided near present-day Winchester, Virginia
and Moorefield, West Virginia
until 1754 when they migrated into Ohio
. The Mingo
, who resided in the Tygart Valley and along the Ohio River
in present-day West Virginia's Northern Panhandle region, and the Delaware
, who lived in present-day eastern Pennsylvania
, New Jersey
and Delaware
, but had several autonomous settlements as far south as present-day Braxton County, also used the area as a hunting ground.
Following the French and Indian War
, the Mingo retreated to their homes along the banks of the Ohio River and were rarely seen in the Eastern Panhandle region. Although the French and Indian War was officially over, many Indians continued to view the British as a threat to their sovereignty and continued to fight them. In the summer of 1763, Pontiac
, an Ottawa
chief, led raids on key British forts in the Great Lakes region. Shawnee chief Keigh-tugh-qua, also known as Cornstalk
, led similar attacks on western Virginia settlements, starting with attacks in present-day Greenbrier County
and extending northward to Berkeley Springs, and into the northern Shenandoah Valley
. By the end of July, Indians had destroyed or captured all British forts west of the Alleghenies except Fort Detroit
, Fort Pitt
, and Fort Niagara
. The uprisings were ended on August 6, 1763 when British forces, under the command of Colonel Henry Bouquet
, defeated Delaware and Shawnee forces at Bushy Run in western Pennsylvania.
During the American Revolutionary War
(1775–1783), the Mingo and Shawnee, headquartered at Chillicothe
, allied themselves with the British. In 1777, a party of 350 Wyandots, Shawnees and Mingos, armed by the British, attacked Fort Henry
, near present-day Wheeling. Nearly half of the soldiers manning the fort were killed in the three-day assault. The Indians then left the area celebrating their victory. For the remainder of the war, smaller raiding parties of Mingo, Shawnee, and other Indian tribes terrorized settlers throughout northern and eastern West Virginia. As a result, European settlement throughout present-day West Virginia, including the Eastern Panhandle, came to a virtual standstill until the war's conclusion.
Following the war, the Mingo and Shawnee, once again allied with the losing side, returned to their homes. As the number of settlers in present-day West Virginia began to grow, both the Mingo and Shawnee moved further inland, leaving their traditional hunting ground to the white settlers.
, a German physician and explorer employed by Sir William Berkeley, colonial governor of Virginia, became the first European to set foot in present-day Berkeley County; their safety was not guaranteed. John Howard
and his son also passed through present-day Berkeley County a few years later, and discovered the valley of the South Branch Potomac River at Green Spring
. The next known explorer to traverse the county was John Van Meter in 1725. He came across the Potomac River
, at what is now known as Shepherdstown
, then he made his way to the South Branch Potomac River. When he returned to his home in New York, Van Meter advised his sons to purchase land in the area.
In 1726, Morgan Morgan
, moved from Delaware and founded the first permanent English settlement of record in West Virginia on Mill Creek near the present-day Bunker Hill
in Berkeley County. The state of West Virginia erected a monument in Bunker Hill commemorating the event, and placed a marker at Morgan's grave, which is located in a cemetery near the park. Morgan Morgan and his wife, Catherine Garretson, had eight children. His son, Zackquill Morgan
, later founded present-day Morgantown
.
In 1730, John and Isaac Van Meter, two of John Van Meter's sons, secured a patent for 40000 acres (161.9 km²) at the South Branch Potomac River, much of it located in present-day Berkeley County, from Virginia's Colonial Lieutenant Governor William Gooch
. The brothers sold the land the following year to Hans Yost Heydt, also known as Joist Hite or Jost Hite. In 1732, Heydt (Hite) and fifteen families set out from York, Pennsylvania
, passed through present-day Berkeley County, and settled near present-day Winchester, Virginia
. In 1774, John Van Meter moved to a site near Moorefield
, then part of Hampshire County
, but now in present-day Hardy County
. His brother, Isaac Van Meter, settled further to the west.
, then just sixteen years old, surveyed present-day Berkeley County for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
. He later returned to Bath (Berkeley Springs) several times over the next several years with his half-brother, Lawrence, who was ill and hoped that the warm springs might improve his health. The springs, and their rumored medicinal benefits, attracted numerous Native Americans as well as Europeans to the area.
was formed out of the county's eastern section. Then, on February 9, 1820, Morgan County
was formed out of the county's western section and parts of Hampshire County.
Berkeley County was of strategic importance to both the North and the South during the American Civil War
(from 1861 to 1865). The county, and Martinsburg
, the county seat, lay at the northern edge of the Shenandoah Valley, and Martinsburg was very important because the main line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
ran through the town. The rail line was of great importance to both armies. Also, Martinsburg was close to the Union arsenal at Harpers Ferry
. Control over Martinsburg changed hands many times during the war, especially prior to the Battle of Gettysburg
in July 1863. After Gettysburg, the city remained mostly under Union control.
Most of Berkeley County's residents were loyal to the South during the American Civil War. There were seven companies of soldiers recruited from the county: five for the Confederate Army
and two for the Union Army
. At least six hundred men from Berkeley County served in either the Confederate Army or the Union Army.
Berkeley County was also the home of Maria Isabella "Belle" Boyd
, a famous spy for the Confederacy. She was born in Martinsburg on May 9, 1844, and lived there until the outbreak of the war. Her espionage career began on July 4, 1861 when a band of drunken Union soldiers broke into her Martinsburg home intent on raising the United States flag over the house. As the soldiers forced their way into the house (one account has a soldier pushing Belle's mother), Belle drew a pistol and killed him. A board of inquiry exonerated her actions as justifiable homicide, but sentries were posted around the house and officers kept close track of her activities. She befriended the officers, and at least one of them, Captain Daniel Keily, shared military secrets with her. She conveyed those secrets to Confederate officers via her slave, Eliza Hopewell, who carried the messages in a hollowed-out watch case. She later moved to Front Royal, Virginia
to live with an aunt. One evening in mid-May, 1862 General James Shields
and his staff conferred in the parlor of the local hotel. Belle hid upstairs and overheard Shields mentioning that he had been ordered east, a move that would reduce the Union Army's strength at Front Royal. Belle reported the news to Colonel Turner Ashby
, a Confederate scout. He relayed the information to General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, commander of the Confederate Army. After Jackson took Front Royal on May 23, he penned a note of gratitude to Belle, and named her an honorary Captain. Belle was later arrested by the Union Army for espionage, spent a month in the Old Capitol Prison
in Washington, D.C.
and was freed in a prisoner exchange. In June 1863, she was arrested again for espionage by the Union Army during a visit to Martinsburg. She remained in custody until December 1, 1863 when, suffering from typhoid, she was allowed to travel to England
to regain her strength. While there, she began a stage career and penned her memoirs. After the war, she returned to the United States
, toured the western states recounting her exploits as a spy during the war. She died in 1900 in Evansville, Wisconsin
.
east of the mountains, with the consent of the Reorganized Government of Virginia
, voted in favor of annexation to West Virginia in 1863. Many voters absent in the Confederate Army when the vote was taken refused to acknowledge the transfer upon their return. The Virginia General Assembly
repealed the Act of Secession and in 1866 brought suit against West Virginia asking the court to declare the counties a part of Virginia. Meanwhile, Congress, on March 10, 1866, passed a joint resolution recognizing the transfer. The Supreme Court, in 1871, decided in favor of West Virginia.http://www.newsgroups-index.com/group/soc_-answers_l51.html
, the county has a total area of 322 square miles (834 km²), of which 0.14% is water.
of 2000, there were 75,905 people, 29,569 households, and 20,698 families residing in the county. The population density
was 236 people per square mile (91/km²). There were 32,913 housing units at an average density of 102 per square mile (40/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.74% White
, 4.69% Black
or African American
, 0.25% Native American
, 0.46% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.56% from other races
, and 1.28% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 29,569 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples
living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,763, and the median income for a family was $44,302. Males had a median income of $32,010 versus $23,351 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,982. About 8.70% of families and 11.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 10.10% of those age 65 or over.
Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia is a narrow stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, bordering Maryland and Virginia, United States. The Eastern Panhandle Board of Realtors and other local civic organizations consider only the three Easternmost counties, Jefferson, Berkeley and...
region of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. As of 2010, the population is 104,169, making it the second-most populous county in West Virginia, behind Kanawha
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Martinsburg
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
.
The county lies adjacent to the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
and is one of three counties in Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area
Hagerstown Metropolitan Area
The Hagerstown-Martinsburg Metropolitan Area, officially designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Maryland-West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area , constitutes the primary cities of Hagerstown, Maryland, Martinsburg, West Virginia, and...
. Due to its proximity to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Berkeley County is the fastest growing county in the State of West Virginia and among the fastest growing in the entire country.
History
Berkeley is the second oldest county in West Virginia. The county was created by an act of the House of BurgessesHouse of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was the first assembly of elected representatives of English colonists in North America. The House was established by the Virginia Company, who created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America...
in February 1772 from the northern third of Frederick County
Frederick County, Virginia
Frederick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is included in the Winchester, Virginia-West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was formed in 1743 by the splitting of Orange County. For ten years it was the home of George Washington. As of 2010, the population was...
(Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
). At the time of the county's formation it also consisted of the areas that make up the present-day Jefferson
Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
and Morgan
Morgan County, West Virginia
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, it's population was 17,541. Its county seat is Berkeley Springs. The county is one of three in Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area...
counties. Most historians believe that the county was named for Norborne Berkeley, Baron de Botetourt (1718–1770), Colonial Governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770. West Virginia's Blue Book, for example, indicates that Berkeley County was named in his honor. He served as a colonel in England's North Gloucestershire militia in 1761, and represented that division of the county in parliament until he was made a peer in 1764. He claimed the title of Baron Botetourt
Baron Botetourt
The title Baron Botetourt was created in the Peerage of England by writ of summons on 19 June 1305. It became abeyant in 1406, was recalled from abeyance in 1764 for Norborne Berkeley. However, it became abeyant again on his death in 1770...
as the lineal descendant of Maurice de Berkeley(d.1361) and his wife Catherine de Botetourt, sister & co-heir of John Botetourt, son and heir of Sir John de Botetourt(d.1324), baron by writ 1309-15. Maurice(d.1361) was the son and heir of Maurice de Berkeley(d.1347 at the Siege of Calais), who had acquired the manor of Stoke Gifford
Stoke Gifford
Stoke Gifford is a large dormitory village, and parish in South Gloucestershire, England, in the northern suburbs of Bristol. It has around 11,000 residents as of the 2001 Census. It is home to Bristol Parkway station, on the London-South Wales railway line, and the Bristol offices of Friends Life...
, Gloucestershire, in 1337, the second son of Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley
Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley
Maurice Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley , sometimes termed The Magnanimous, was an English baron and rebel....
(1271-1326). Having incurred heavy gambling debts, he solicited a government appointment, and in July 1768, was made governor of Virginia
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
. In 1769, he reluctantly dissolved the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
after it adopted resolutions opposing parliament's replacement of requisitions with parliamentary taxes as a means of generating revenue and a requirement that the colonists send accused criminals to England for trial. Despite his differences with the General Assembly, Norborne Berkeley was well respected by the colonists, especially after he sent parliament letters encouraging it to repeal the taxes. When parliament refused to rescind the taxes, Governor Berkeley requested to be recalled. In appreciation of his efforts on their behalf, the colonists erected a monument to his memory which currently stands in Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, and two counties were later named in his honor, Berkeley in present-day West Virginia and Botetourt
Botetourt County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
in Virginia.
Other historians claim that Berkeley County may have been named in honor of Sir William Berkeley (1610–1677), who was born near London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, graduated from Oxford University in 1629, and was appointed Governor of Virginia in 1642. He served as Governor until 1652 and was later reappointed Governor in 1660. He continued to serve as Virginia's Governor until 1677 when he was called back to England. He died later that same year, on July 9, 1677.
The first settlers
According to missionary reports, several thousand Hurons occupied present-day West Virginia, including the Eastern Panhandle region, during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. During the 17th century, the Iroquois Confederacy (then consisting of the MohawkMohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida
Oneida tribe
The Oneida are a Native American/First Nations people and are one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in the area of upstate New York...
, and Seneca tribes) drove the Hurons from the state. The Iroquois Confederacy was headquartered in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and was not interested in occupying present-day West Virginia. Instead, they used it as a hunting ground during the spring and summer months.
During the early 18th century, West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle region was inhabited by the Tuscarora
Tuscarora (tribe)
The Tuscarora are a Native American people of the Iroquoian-language family, with members in New York, Canada, and North Carolina...
. They eventually migrated northward into New York and, in 1712, became the sixth nation to be formally admitted into the Iroquois Confederacy. The Eastern Panhandle region was also used as a hunting ground by several other Indian tribes, including the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
(then known as the Shawanese) who resided near present-day Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
and Moorefield, West Virginia
Moorefield, West Virginia
Moorefield is a town in Hardy County, West Virginia, USA. Moorefield is the county seat of Hardy County. It was originally chartered in 1777 and named for Conrad Moore, who owned the land upon which the town was laid out...
until 1754 when they migrated into Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The Mingo
Mingo
The Mingo are an Iroquoian group of Native Americans made up of peoples who migrated west to the Ohio Country in the mid-eighteenth century. Anglo-Americans called these migrants mingos, a corruption of mingwe, an Eastern Algonquian name for Iroquoian-language groups in general. Mingos have also...
, who resided in the Tygart Valley and along the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
in present-day West Virginia's Northern Panhandle region, and the Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, who lived in present-day eastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, but had several autonomous settlements as far south as present-day Braxton County, also used the area as a hunting ground.
Following the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, the Mingo retreated to their homes along the banks of the Ohio River and were rarely seen in the Eastern Panhandle region. Although the French and Indian War was officially over, many Indians continued to view the British as a threat to their sovereignty and continued to fight them. In the summer of 1763, Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
, an Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
chief, led raids on key British forts in the Great Lakes region. Shawnee chief Keigh-tugh-qua, also known as Cornstalk
Cornstalk
Cornstalk was a prominent leader of the Shawnee nation just prior to the American Revolution. His name, Hokoleskwa, translates loosely into "stalk of corn" in English, and is spelled Colesqua in some accounts...
, led similar attacks on western Virginia settlements, starting with attacks in present-day Greenbrier County
Greenbrier County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,453 people, 14,571 households, and 9,922 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile . There were 17,644 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
and extending northward to Berkeley Springs, and into the northern Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. By the end of July, Indians had destroyed or captured all British forts west of the Alleghenies except Fort Detroit
Fort Detroit
Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S...
, Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
, and Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
. The uprisings were ended on August 6, 1763 when British forces, under the command of Colonel Henry Bouquet
Henry Bouquet
Henry Bouquet was a prominent British Army officer in the French and Indian War and Pontiac's War. Bouquet is best known for his victory over Native Americans at the Battle of Bushy Run, lifting the siege of Fort Pitt during Pontiac's War.-Early life:Bouquet was born into a moderately wealthy...
, defeated Delaware and Shawnee forces at Bushy Run in western Pennsylvania.
During the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
(1775–1783), the Mingo and Shawnee, headquartered at Chillicothe
Chalahgawtha
Chalahgawtha was the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people, during the 18th century, as well as the name of the principal village of the division. The other four divisions were the Mekoche, Kispoko, Pekowi, and Hathawekela...
, allied themselves with the British. In 1777, a party of 350 Wyandots, Shawnees and Mingos, armed by the British, attacked Fort Henry
Fort Henry (Virginia)
Fort Henry was an English frontier fort in 17th century colonial Virginia near the falls of the Appomattox River. Its exact location has been debated, but the most popular one is on a bluff about four blocks north of the corner of W. Washington and N...
, near present-day Wheeling. Nearly half of the soldiers manning the fort were killed in the three-day assault. The Indians then left the area celebrating their victory. For the remainder of the war, smaller raiding parties of Mingo, Shawnee, and other Indian tribes terrorized settlers throughout northern and eastern West Virginia. As a result, European settlement throughout present-day West Virginia, including the Eastern Panhandle, came to a virtual standstill until the war's conclusion.
Following the war, the Mingo and Shawnee, once again allied with the losing side, returned to their homes. As the number of settlers in present-day West Virginia began to grow, both the Mingo and Shawnee moved further inland, leaving their traditional hunting ground to the white settlers.
Early European settlers
In 1670, John LedererJohn Lederer
John Lederer was a 17th-century German physician and an explorer of the Appalachian Mountains. He and the members of his party became the first Europeans to crest the Blue Ridge Mountains and the first to see the Shenandoah Valley and the Allegheny Mountains beyond...
, a German physician and explorer employed by Sir William Berkeley, colonial governor of Virginia, became the first European to set foot in present-day Berkeley County; their safety was not guaranteed. John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and his son also passed through present-day Berkeley County a few years later, and discovered the valley of the South Branch Potomac River at Green Spring
Green Spring, West Virginia
Green Spring is an unincorporated census-designated place and railroad town in Hampshire County, West Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 218. Green Spring is located north of Springfield on Green Spring Road near the confluence of the North and South Branches of the Potomac...
. The next known explorer to traverse the county was John Van Meter in 1725. He came across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, at what is now known as Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, located along the Potomac River. It is the oldest town in the state, having been chartered in 1762 by Colonial Virginia's General Assembly. Since 1863, Shepherdstown has been in West Virginia, and is the oldest town in...
, then he made his way to the South Branch Potomac River. When he returned to his home in New York, Van Meter advised his sons to purchase land in the area.
In 1726, Morgan Morgan
Morgan Morgan
Colonel Morgan Morgan is traditionally believed to have founded the first permanent white settlement in present day West Virginia at Cool Spring Farm, and he is credited with founding the first church in what is now West Virginia.-Early life:Little direct evidence of Morgan's early life and...
, moved from Delaware and founded the first permanent English settlement of record in West Virginia on Mill Creek near the present-day Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill, West Virginia
Bunker Hill is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States located on Winchester Pike at its junction with West Virginia Secondary Route 26 south of Martinsburg. It is the site of the confluence of Torytown Run and Mill Creek, a tributary of Opequon Creek...
in Berkeley County. The state of West Virginia erected a monument in Bunker Hill commemorating the event, and placed a marker at Morgan's grave, which is located in a cemetery near the park. Morgan Morgan and his wife, Catherine Garretson, had eight children. His son, Zackquill Morgan
Zackquill Morgan
Colonel Zackquill Morgan was a son of Welsh-born Colonel Morgan Morgan, the first known white settler in what would become the U.S. state of West Virginia, and his wife, Catherine Garretson. Zackquill Morgan's very unusual Christian name is spelled many different ways in old records...
, later founded present-day Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
.
In 1730, John and Isaac Van Meter, two of John Van Meter's sons, secured a patent for 40000 acres (161.9 km²) at the South Branch Potomac River, much of it located in present-day Berkeley County, from Virginia's Colonial Lieutenant Governor William Gooch
William Gooch
Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet , born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, and died in London, served as Governor of Virginia from 1727 through 1749...
. The brothers sold the land the following year to Hans Yost Heydt, also known as Joist Hite or Jost Hite. In 1732, Heydt (Hite) and fifteen families set out from York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
, passed through present-day Berkeley County, and settled near present-day Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
. In 1774, John Van Meter moved to a site near Moorefield
Moorefield, West Virginia
Moorefield is a town in Hardy County, West Virginia, USA. Moorefield is the county seat of Hardy County. It was originally chartered in 1777 and named for Conrad Moore, who owned the land upon which the town was laid out...
, then part of Hampshire County
Hampshire County, West Virginia
Hampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
, but now in present-day Hardy County
Hardy County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,669 people, 5,204 households, and 3,564 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,115 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
. His brother, Isaac Van Meter, settled further to the west.
18th Century Berkeley County
In 1748, George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, then just sixteen years old, surveyed present-day Berkeley County for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and of Catherine, daughter of Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway....
. He later returned to Bath (Berkeley Springs) several times over the next several years with his half-brother, Lawrence, who was ill and hoped that the warm springs might improve his health. The springs, and their rumored medicinal benefits, attracted numerous Native Americans as well as Europeans to the area.
19th Century Berkeley County
Berkeley County was reduced in size twice during the 19th century. On January 8, 1801, Jefferson CountyJefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
was formed out of the county's eastern section. Then, on February 9, 1820, Morgan County
Morgan County, West Virginia
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, it's population was 17,541. Its county seat is Berkeley Springs. The county is one of three in Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area...
was formed out of the county's western section and parts of Hampshire County.
Berkeley County was of strategic importance to both the North and the South during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(from 1861 to 1865). The county, and Martinsburg
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
, the county seat, lay at the northern edge of the Shenandoah Valley, and Martinsburg was very important because the main line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
ran through the town. The rail line was of great importance to both armies. Also, Martinsburg was close to the Union arsenal at Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
. Control over Martinsburg changed hands many times during the war, especially prior to the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
in July 1863. After Gettysburg, the city remained mostly under Union control.
Most of Berkeley County's residents were loyal to the South during the American Civil War. There were seven companies of soldiers recruited from the county: five for the Confederate Army
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and two for the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. At least six hundred men from Berkeley County served in either the Confederate Army or the Union Army.
Berkeley County was also the home of Maria Isabella "Belle" Boyd
Belle Boyd
Isabella Marie Boyd Isabella Marie Boyd Isabella Marie Boyd (May 9, 1844 – June 11, 1900, best known as Belle Boyd or Cleopatra of the Secession, was a Confederate spy in the American Civil War...
, a famous spy for the Confederacy. She was born in Martinsburg on May 9, 1844, and lived there until the outbreak of the war. Her espionage career began on July 4, 1861 when a band of drunken Union soldiers broke into her Martinsburg home intent on raising the United States flag over the house. As the soldiers forced their way into the house (one account has a soldier pushing Belle's mother), Belle drew a pistol and killed him. A board of inquiry exonerated her actions as justifiable homicide, but sentries were posted around the house and officers kept close track of her activities. She befriended the officers, and at least one of them, Captain Daniel Keily, shared military secrets with her. She conveyed those secrets to Confederate officers via her slave, Eliza Hopewell, who carried the messages in a hollowed-out watch case. She later moved to Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
to live with an aunt. One evening in mid-May, 1862 General James Shields
James Shields
James Shields was an American politician and United States Army officer who was born in Altmore, County Tyrone, Ireland. Shields, a Democrat, is the only person in United States history to serve as a U.S. Senator for three different states...
and his staff conferred in the parlor of the local hotel. Belle hid upstairs and overheard Shields mentioning that he had been ordered east, a move that would reduce the Union Army's strength at Front Royal. Belle reported the news to Colonel Turner Ashby
Turner Ashby
Turner Ashby, Jr. was a Confederate cavalry commander in the American Civil War. He had achieved prominence as Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's cavalry commander, in the grade of colonel, in the Shenandoah Valley before he was killed in battle in 1862...
, a Confederate scout. He relayed the information to General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, commander of the Confederate Army. After Jackson took Front Royal on May 23, he penned a note of gratitude to Belle, and named her an honorary Captain. Belle was later arrested by the Union Army for espionage, spent a month in the Old Capitol Prison
Old Capitol Prison
The Old Brick Capitol in Washington, D.C., served as temporary Capitol of the United States from 1815 to 1825, and became the Old Capitol Prison during the American Civil War. Razed in 1929, its site is now occupied by the U.S...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and was freed in a prisoner exchange. In June 1863, she was arrested again for espionage by the Union Army during a visit to Martinsburg. She remained in custody until December 1, 1863 when, suffering from typhoid, she was allowed to travel to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to regain her strength. While there, she began a stage career and penned her memoirs. After the war, she returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, toured the western states recounting her exploits as a spy during the war. She died in 1900 in Evansville, Wisconsin
Evansville, Wisconsin
Evansville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,039 at the 2000 census . According to the 2010 census there are 5,012 people Since 2000, Evansville's population has increased over 21%...
.
Joining West Virginia
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Berkeley and Jefferson counties, both lying on the Potomac RiverPotomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
east of the mountains, with the consent of the Reorganized Government of Virginia
Restored government of Virginia
The Restored Government of Virginia, or the Reorganized Government of Virginia, was the Unionist government of Virginia during the American Civil War. From 1861 until mid-1863 it met in Wheeling, and from 26 August 1863 until June 1865 it met in Alexandria...
, voted in favor of annexation to West Virginia in 1863. Many voters absent in the Confederate Army when the vote was taken refused to acknowledge the transfer upon their return. The Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
repealed the Act of Secession and in 1866 brought suit against West Virginia asking the court to declare the counties a part of Virginia. Meanwhile, Congress, on March 10, 1866, passed a joint resolution recognizing the transfer. The Supreme Court, in 1871, decided in favor of West Virginia.http://www.newsgroups-index.com/group/soc_-answers_l51.html
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 322 square miles (834 km²), of which 0.14% is water.
Adjacent counties
- Washington County, MarylandWashington County, MarylandWashington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
(north) - Jefferson CountyJefferson County, West VirginiaJefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
(east) - Frederick County, VirginiaFrederick County, VirginiaFrederick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is included in the Winchester, Virginia-West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was formed in 1743 by the splitting of Orange County. For ten years it was the home of George Washington. As of 2010, the population was...
(south) - Morgan CountyMorgan County, West VirginiaMorgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, it's population was 17,541. Its county seat is Berkeley Springs. The county is one of three in Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(west)
Rivers and streams
- Potomac RiverPotomac RiverThe Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
- Back Creek
- Tilhance CreekTilhance CreekTilhance Creek is a tributary stream of Back Creek in Berkeley County of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.-Headwaters and course:Tilhance Creek's source is a spring on the eastern flank of Third Hill Mountain in western Berkeley County, West Virginia...
- Tilhance Creek
- Cherry RunCherry RunCherry Run is a meandering stream that forms the northern section of the boundary between Morgan and Berkeley counties in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. While it is mostly non-navigable, Cherry Run provides many pools of varying depths for fishing and swimming...
- Meadow BranchMeadow BranchMeadow Branch is a tributary stream of Sleepy Creek in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle region. Meadow Branch's source lies between Sleepy Creek Mountain and Third Hill Mountain near Locks-of-the-Mountain in Berkeley County...
(tributary of Sleepy CreekSleepy CreekSleepy Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River in the United States, belonging to the Chesapeake Bay's watershed. Sleepy Creek's source lies near the Hampshire County, West Virginia border at Good, north of State Route 127 in Frederick County, Virginia...
in Morgan County) - Opequon CreekOpequon CreekOpequon Creek is a tributary stream of the Potomac River. It flows into the Potomac northeast of Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and its source lies northwest of the community of Opequon at the foot of Great North Mountain in Frederick County, Virginia...
- Middle Creek
- Mill Creek
- Tuscarora CreekTuscarora Creek (Opequon Creek)Tuscarora Creek is an tributary of Opequon Creek, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds, located in Berkeley County in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Tuscarora Creek flows through the city of Martinsburg. Tuscarora Creek rises on the eastern flanks of North Mountain....
- Back Creek
Magisterial districts
- Adam/Stephenhorses are oink*Opequon
- Hedgesville
- Potomac
- Tuscarora
- Shenandoah
- Valley
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 75,905 people, 29,569 households, and 20,698 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 236 people per square mile (91/km²). There were 32,913 housing units at an average density of 102 per square mile (40/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.74% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.69% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.25% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.46% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.56% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.28% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 29,569 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,763, and the median income for a family was $44,302. Males had a median income of $32,010 versus $23,351 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $17,982. About 8.70% of families and 11.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 10.10% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Victoria "Vicky" BullettVicky BullettVictoria Bullett is an American former professional basketball player. She played for the Charlotte Sting and Washington Mystics in the WNBA, as well as for European and South American professional teams, the U.S. Olympic team, and the University of Maryland Terrapins...
, former professional women's basketball player, member of the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Teams that won gold and bronze medals respectively.
Incorporated cities and towns
- Town of HedgesvilleHedgesville, West VirginiaHedgesville is a town in Berkeley County in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The population was 240 at the 2000 census. The Town of Hedgesville was laid out in 1832 along the old Warm Springs Road and named for the prominent local Hedges family...
- City of MartinsburgMartinsburg, West VirginiaMartinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
Unincorporated communities
|
Blairton, West Virginia Blairton is an unincorporated community on Opequon Creek located east of Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Blairton was originally named Opequan Station because of its location on the Opequon along the railroad.... Bunker Hill, West Virginia Bunker Hill is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States located on Winchester Pike at its junction with West Virginia Secondary Route 26 south of Martinsburg. It is the site of the confluence of Torytown Run and Mill Creek, a tributary of Opequon Creek... Darkesville, West Virginia Darkesville is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1791, Darkesville has been nationally recognized as a historic district.A post office and school once operated in Darkesville.-Geography:... Douglas Grove, West Virginia Douglas Grove is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located along County Route 9/16 southeast of Martinsburg.... Falling Waters, West Virginia Falling Waters is an unincorporated census-designated place on the Potomac River in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located along Williamsport Pike north of Martinsburg. According to the 2010 census, Falling Waters has a population of 876.... Files Crossroad, West Virginia Files Crossroad is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The community is located east of Martinsburg on West Virginia Route 45 at its crossroads with County Route 45/4... Ganotown, West Virginia Ganotown is an unincorporated community on Back Creek in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located at the crossroads of County Routes 7 and 7/19.... |
Georgetown, Berkeley County, West Virginia Georgetown is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located south of Little Georgetown on County Route 2.... Gerrardstown, West Virginia Gerrardstown is an unincorporated village located along West Virginia Route 51 in Berkeley County in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. It was laid out in 1784 by David Gerrard and served as the site of the first Baptist church west of the Blue Ridge Mountains... Glengary, West Virginia Glengary is an unincorporated town situated in Back Creek Valley in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located at the intersection of West Virginia Route 45 with County Routes 7 and 22. According to the 2000 census, the Glengary community has a population of 277.... Greensburg, West Virginia Greensburg is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located northeast of Martinsburg on County Route 5/3.... Grubbs Corner, West Virginia Grubbs Corner is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, USA.... Hainesville, Berkeley County, West Virginia Hainesville is an unincorporated town on U.S. Route 11 in Berkeley County, West Virginia.- See also :*Battle of Hoke's Run... Inwood, West Virginia Inwood is a census-designated place in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States, located south of Martinsburg. The population was 2,954 at the 2010 census. It is located on U.S... |
Johnsontown, Berkeley County, West Virginia Johnsontown is an unincorporated town at the junction of West Virginia Route 9 and Camp Frame Road along Tilhance Creek in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The town was originally named Soho by settlers after Soho in London's West End. Its name was later changed to Johnstontown and finally... Jones Springs, West Virginia Jones Springs is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located on County Route 7 at its junction with County Route 7/8. The town, and several of its houses, lies on top of the numerous springs that give the community its name.... Little Georgetown, West Virginia Little Georgetown is a small unincorporated community along the Potomac River in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located northeast of Hedgesville and Georgetown.... Marlowe, West Virginia Marlowe is an unincorporated town on U.S. Route 11 in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States.Sites on the National Register of Historic Places located near Marlowe are: the Charles Downs II House, Harmony Cemetery, Marlowe Consolidated School, and Power Plant and Dam No. 5.... Nipetown, West Virginia Nipetown is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia.... Nollville, West Virginia Nollville is an unincorporated community on Tuscarora Creek in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It lies west of Martinsburg on the Tuscarora Pike .... North Mountain, West Virginia North Mountain is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It takes its name from North Mountain, which lies to its west. The community of North Mountain is located on West Virginia Route 901 northeast of Hedgesville.... |
Pikeside, West Virginia Pikeside is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, USA. Pikeside is situated along U.S. Route 11 about 3.4 miles south of Martinsburg.... Ridgeway, West Virginia Ridgeway is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It lies off U.S. Highway 11 on Specks Run Road near the Virginia state line.... Scrabble, West Virginia Scrabble is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, USA. According to the Geographic Names Information System, the community has been known as Hard Scrabble, Hard Scrabble Town, and Hardscrabble throughout its history.... Shanghai, West Virginia Shanghai is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The town is nestled in Back Creek Valley between Leading Ridge and North Mountain. Shanghai lies at the junction of West Virginia Secondary Route 7 and Secondary Route 18 .... Spring Mills, West Virginia Spring Mills is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, USA. Spring Mills is located along West Virginia Route 901.... Swan Pond, West Virginia Swan Pond is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It takes its name from the Swan Pond reservoir there.... Tablers Station, West Virginia Tablers Station is an unincorporated town in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It lies on County Route 32 south of Martinsburg off U.S. Highway 11 near Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport.... |
Tarico Heights, West Virginia Tarico Heights is an unincorporated community on West Virginia Route 51 along Opequon Creek in Berkeley County, West Virginia.... Tomahawk, West Virginia Tomahawk is an unincorporated town on Back Creek in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The community is named for a nearby spring in the shape of a tomahawk... Union Corner, West Virginia Union Corner is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, USA.Redbud Hollow was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.... Van Clevesville, West Virginia Van Clevesville is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is located between the communities of Baker Heights and Winebrenners Crossroad.... Vanville, West Virginia Vanville is an unincorporated town in the south-east portion of Berkeley County, West Virginia. The center of the community of Vanville is at the intersection of Airport Rd, Strobridge Rd, Near Bethel's Way, and Classic Vanville Rd.... Winebrenners Crossroad, West Virginia Winebrenners Crossroad is a small unincorporated community along the Warm Springs Road southeast of Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is centered on the intersection or "crossroad" of the Warm Springs Road with Van Clevesville Road and Winebrenner Road... Wynkoop Spring, West Virginia Wynkoop Spring is an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States. Wynkoop Spring lies on the border with Jefferson County.... |
See also
- Berkeley County SchoolsBerkeley County SchoolsBerkeley County Schools is the operating school district within Berkeley County, West Virginia. It is governed by the Berkeley County Board of Education.-High schools:*Hedgesville High School *Martinsburg High School *Musselman High School...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkeley County, West VirginiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Berkeley County, West VirginiaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkeley County, West Virginia.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States...
Sources
- Aler, F. Vernon. 1888. Aler's History of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia: From the Origin of the Indians ..., Hagerstown, MD: Mail Publishing Company
- Doherty, William T. Berkeley County, U.S.A.: A Bicentennial History of a Virginia and West Virginia County, 1772-1972. Parsons, WV: McClain Printing Company, 1972
- Evans, Willis F. History of Berkeley County, West Virginia. Wheeling, WV, 1928 (unknown publisher)
- Dilger, Dr. Robert Jay, Director, Institute for Public Affairs and Professor of Political Science at West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
External links
- Chamber of Commerce of Martinsburg and Berkeley County
- Berkeley County Commission
- Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Berkeley County Development Authority
- Berkeley County Farmland Protection Board
- Berkeley County Health Department
- Berkeley County Historical Society
- Berkeley County Schools
- Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library
- WVU Extension Service - Berkeley County
- Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival